1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to devices for preventing tampering with valves and regulators.
2. Background Art
Present valve lockout products are designed to enclose or tie the existing Original-Equipment-Manufacturer (OEM) provided handle and to lock the entire device with a padlock. These products are bulky and usually are made from plastic by injection or blow molding. The present invention replaces existing handles on valves and regulators without presenting additional bulky material to the user.
Locks such as those provided by U.S. Pat. No. 440,714, to Lamb, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 441,357, to Crowell, U.S. Pat. No. 1,248,204, to Thomsen, U.S. Pat. No. 1,250,127, to Beers, U.S. Pat. No. 1,526,047, to Butterworth, U.S. Pat. No. 1,672,137, to Seng, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,129, to Schoepe, are each quite distinct from the present invention. Most significantly, the above inventions do not provide locking and unlocking of the mechanism via a drive gear.